Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2014.08.01 |
Object Type |
Drum, Slit |
Title |
Slit Drum |
Description |
Ekwe (slit) drum from Mali, Africa. In shape of bull/cow. Drum is made from a single log. It rests on four feet and has ornate designs around the edges. The front of the drum is carved into a cow's head. The back end has a tail. |
Dimensions |
H-14 W-15 L-68 inches |
Additional Research |
Carved from a single log, African slit drums function not only as musical instruments but also as cultural works of art, often representing significant elements of a tribe’s religious beliefs or daily life. This drum, said to be an Ekwe drum from Mali, takes the form of an African cow with the main body serving as the drum and the head and tail extending beyond the resonating body of the drum. The drum is carved from a single piece of wood and includes the legs, which serve as the base. The hand-carved head and tail appear to be added to the main body of the log. "Ekwe," the word for "slit" in the Igbo language, places the drum’s origin to somewhere along the Niger River, between the current country of Nigeria, northwest through Mali, and perhaps continuing on to the Pacific Ocean, covering the lands of the ancient Kingdom of Mali. This region of Africa is the home to many nomadic tribes, such as the Fulani, whose large cattle herds serve as the focus of their daily lives and figure prominently in their religion. In religious iconography, the cow can sometimes be found in creation myths, usually representing a maternal or nourishing role with its milk, and in many cultures, a man’s wealth is determined by the number of cattle he owns. Cows have historically been used as a monetary system unit for such things as barter and trade, and as payment to a family when purchasing a bride. Drums of this size are often used as a practical means of calling a tribe to assemble, communicating over long distances, or in religious or cultural ceremonies. Typical of these ceremonies would be birth, rites of passage to adulthood, marriage, death, or a call to war. Measuring 68 inches in length, 14 inches in height, and 15 inches in width, this drum appears to be quite old and shows signs of extensive use. The type of wood from which the drum is carved has not been determined. The intricately-carved head and tail both appear to have been repaired at the point of attachment to the main body of the drum. The body of the cow is decorated with carvings that appear to be a single blanket with a fringed or folded ornate border, a symbol for a sacred cow. Each side of the drum has an oval-shaped indentation in the center of the blanket with carved artwork. When struck, each side of the drum produces a distinct pitch, close to the pitches E-flat and D-flat in Western tuning. Traditionally, a drum of this size would be played with two large sticks, and it would require two people to move the drum from one location to another. This drum was purchased by Michael Kenyon from Dror Sinai of Rhythm Fusion, Santa Cruz, Cal. in December of 2009.-Percussive Notes, May 2015. |
Credit line |
Gift of Michael Kenyon |